Combined spectacles and hearing-aid with automatic self-seating earphone



1959 A. G. CARLSON COMBINED SPECTACL ES AND HEARING-AID WITH AUTOMATIC SELF-SEATING EARPHONE Filed OCT. 18, 1954 COMBINED SPECTACLES HEARING-AID FI'ggm AUTOMATIC SELF-SEATING EAR- Arthur Godfrey Carlson, Waterford, Maine Application October 18, 1954, Serlal lio.462,796

2 Claims. (Cl. 179-107 My present invention is an improved construction of the combined spectacle and hearing aid of my prior and co-pending application Serial No. 416,034, filed March 15, 1954.

The present invention is directed to provide novel and efficient means for insuring full contact with automatic self-seating means for the earphone to be in most eflicient position on the head of the wearer. It is well known that the angle of contact between the bows of spectacles and the contour of the head of the wearer are likely to be in non-alignment, and it is important to have the earphone in proper, firm, and full contact particularly to take full advantage of the power supplied by the small unit in the opposite bow of the spactacles, all as explained in my said prior application.

In carrying out my present invention I have devised several means for insuring automatic self-seating adjustment to give such full contact to the earphone, such for example as mounting the earphone on gimbals, or equivalent pivoted support, or providing a suitable elastic material such as foam rubber to support the earphone and, thus, permit universal adjustment when the earphone structure including the earphone and its casing are pressed in contact with the head of the wearer.

I also contemplate utilizing any suitable means to electrically connect the microphone and earphone elements either by embedding the connecting wires in the bows and nose-piece of the spectacles, as shown and explained. in my said copending application, or by printed or painted circuits over the bows or nose-piece, or by separate wires which may extend around the back of the head of the wearer, and are either permanently or detachably connected to the interchangeable casings carrying the microphone or earphone so that either ear can be adjusted for earphone contact, as will be further explained.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my improved spectacle and hearing aid invention:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating my improved construction;

Fig. 2 is a modification wherein the hearing aid and power-generating elements are arranged for detachable connection with the nose-piece and the connecting wires extending around the back of the head instead of thru the bows and nose-piece;

Fig. 3 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of an automatic self-seating arrangement for the earphone;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar plan view to Fig. 3 of a modified form; a

Fig. 6 being a cross-sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form wherein the earphone is supported in a yielding element such as foam rubber to provide the self-adjusting feature;

Fig. 8 is a detailed view showing the plug attachment United State Rem which may he, and, preferably are, ofsynthetic plastic,

the bows 2 and 3 being hingedto opposite ends of the nose-piece, as more fully shown in my said priorv and copending application.

Interchangeable end-pieces, one carrying the microphone and power element, with accessories, and the other the ear-phone attachment, with accessories, are indicated in Fig. l with a microphone casing 5 attached to the outer end of'the how 3, and the earphone casing 6 attached to the outer end of the bow 2, these being detachable and interchangeable and connected by current-carrying wires 7 and 8, as shown in dotted lines, which may be embedded in the spectacle bows and nose-piece, or may be in the form of the present well known type of painted or, printed circuits, which are sufficient to transfer the power from 5 to 6.

As above explained, my present invention consists-in providing automatic means for adjustment or self-seating of the earphone on the head of the wearer, so that a full contact will be effected at any angular position on which the spectacles contact the wearer.

For this purpose, I provide an earphone 10 mounted in a pair of gimbals, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. 'These gimbals consist in an intermediate ring 12 pivoted at 14-14 from the microphone casing 6, and with rightangled pivots 16-16 from the ring to the earphone 10, thus afiording an universal joint efl ect on this type of gimbal construction.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated a further modification wherein the earphone 10, in its carrier 1, is pivoted to the opposite ends of a Y 20, as indicated at 21-21, the Y being a spring metal element secured at 23 to the casing 6 in the right-angled position to the pivots 21-21 so that the contact of the microphone 10 on the head of the wearer may thus automatically be self-adjusted or self-seated.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a still further modification wherein the earphone 10 is partially embedded in a surrounding mass of yielding material 24, such as foam rubber, to thus automatically permit the self-seating of the earphone in full contact with the head of the wearer irrespective of the angular position of the bows or the contour of the head of the wearer. the earphone casing 6 is provided with a recess in which the earphone structure is mounted and from which a portion protrudes to make self-adjusting contact with the head of the wearer.

Referring to the showing of Figs. 2 and 8, I have herein illustrated a pair of detachable members 25 and connected with the earphone casing 26; and a corresponding plug connection can be arranged with the microphone casing 25, as will be readily appreciated.

While I have herein illustrated the microand earphone-carrying ends of the bows as detachable, in order to be interchangeable and readily renewable if desired, I may also have the bows with these operating portions permanently formed therein and, if desired, have the bows themselves attachable and detachable as alternative and equivalent constructions.

As shown in Fig. 7,

1. Thecombinatiomofa'pair-of-spectacleshaving'rear-' wardly extending bows, and hearing air elements supported on an end portion of at least one of said bows, said hearing aid elements comprising -an* earphone structure having a head engaging portion and means "for mountin'gwai d earphone structure providing universal bows, hearing aid elements mounted in said recess, said *-hearing"ai'd*elements "comprising an earphone structure having a head engaging portion and means for mounting said earphone structure providing universal joint action between said earphone structure and said end portion, said mounting means comprising a mass of yieldable rubber-like material inter-posedin said recess between said earphone structure anda wall of said recess on which yieldable material vsaid earphone structure is .mounted, with the he'a'd engaging portion thereof protruding outwardly of said recess toward the head of the wearer.

,Rc'ferences Cited in .the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Peterson Aug. 8, 1939 Thomas Oct. 11, 1955 

